3 interested MLB teams that should avoid Kyle Tucker in free agency, but won’t

Chicago Cubs All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker might not be Juan Soto or Aaron Judge, but he nonetheless headlines an intriguing 2026 MLB free agent class — and as things stand, we personally don’t expect Tucker to spend his home games at Wrigley Field next summer.

Although Tucker earned All-Star honors and provided the Cubs with 4.5 bWAR, he never quite fit with the NL Central runner-ups. Cubs fans even booed Tucker during a summer slump, and he mustered just a single RBI (via a solo home run) over 32 plate appearances. While it’s obviously still possible that the Cubs and Tucker work out a long-term agreement, a divorce still feels inevitable.

That’s nothing against Tucker, who remains one of the league’s most productive, reliable outfielders. He’s averaged 27 home runs, 87 RBIs, 28 doubles, and an .878 OPS since the start of 2021. Not many teams, especially those who intend to enter 2026 with legitimate World Series aspirations, should immediately rule out adding an outfielder who has posted 25.4 bWAR in that stretch. 

However, that doesn’t mean every team must go all-out for Tucker. In fact, we believe multiple contenders need to stay away and divert their attention elsewhere.

New York Yankees

Tucker has exclusively played right field the last five years, a position that still belongs to Aaron Judge. There is no indication that the Yankees will move Judge to right field next year, and Giancarlo Stanton’s presence means that Aaron Boone can’t make his superstar slugger a full-time designated hitter. That’d mean either Judge or Tucker would likely switch to center or right field — and though Judge did play center field in 2024 when Juan Soto manned right field, that doesn’t mean the Yankees need to force a position change again.

We’re not saying that spending lavishly won’t bring the Yankees their first championship since 2009. Just ask the Los Angeles Dodgers, who regularly field one of the sport’s top payrolls and are on track for their third title in six years. However, Tucker won’t fix the Yankees’ many issues, ranging from Aaron Boone’s questionable bullpen management to error-prone shortstop Anthony Volpe’s fielding problems. We’d much rather see the Yankees extend center fielder Cody Bellinger, who plans to opt out of his contract.

Philadelphia Phillies

Nick Castellanos’ tenure in Philadelphia appears to be coming to an end, and both sides are better off moving on. Not only did Castellanos give the Phillies -1.0 bWAR, but his .694 OPS marked his lowest since 2022. It’s hard to get too excited about an outfielder who turns 34 next May, and that’s especially true when you’re a team like the Phillies teetering on the verge of desperation.

In spite of all that, we suggest the Phillies prioritize re-signing Harrison Bader if they intend to make any major outfield moves. The 31-year-old Bader hit .305 with five homers, 16 RBIs, 11 doubles, and a .824 OPS in nearly 194 plate appearances with the Phillies. His 4.2 bWAR with the Phillies and Twins marked a career high, and he continued playing above-average defense. 

By no means are we saying that Bader is a superior player to Tucker. However, Bader fits the Phillies’ needs, and his return would also allow Philadelphia to re-sign NL home run leader Kyle Schwarber.

San Francisco Giants

When we discuss teams going all-in for a championship, it’s hard to look past the Giants under new lead executive Buster Posey. Not only did the Giants sign Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames to a seven-year, $182 million deal last offseason, but they added Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers in a June trade. Unfortunately for the Giants, they finished 81-81 and narrowly missed the postseason, so clearly those two moves weren’t a magic elixir.

Tucker is definitely an upgrade over Drew Gilbert, and the Giants traded their previous starting right fielder, Mike Yastrzemski, to Kansas City in July. Actually, maybe Posey should consider re-signing Yastrzemski on a one-year deal and eyeing a starting pitcher. We wouldn’t exactly recommend bringing back Justin Verlander, who turns 43 next spring, and asking him to pitch at least 150 innings again. We like the idea of the Giants being aggressive, though that doesn’t mean they need to sign Tucker.

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